Back in school they never taught us
What we needed to know
Like how to deal with despair
Or someone breakin' your heart
For twelve years I've held it all together
But a night like this is beggin' to pull me apart
I played it quiet left you deep in conversation
I felt uncool and hung out around the kitchen
I remember I kept thinking
That I know you never would
And now I know I want to kill you
Like only a best friend could

Everyone's caught on to everything you do
Everyone's caught on to

As if it happening wasn't enough
I got to go and write a song
Just to remind myself how bad it sucked
Ignore the sun, covers over my head
Wrote a message on my pillow that says
"Jesse, stay asleep in bed"
Don't apologize (I hope you choke and die!)
Search your cell for something which to hang yourself
They say you need to pray
If you want to go to heaven
But they don't tell you what to say
When your whole life has gone to Hell!

Everyone's caught on to everything you do
Everyone's caught on to
(and I can't let you let me down again)
Everyone's caught on to everything you do
(and I can't let you let me down again)
Everyone's caught on to

So is that what you call a getaway?
Tell me what you got away with
Cause I've seen more spine on jellyfish
I've seen more guts on eleven-year-old kids
Have another drink and drive yourself home
I hope there's ice on all the roads
And you can think of me when you forget your seat belt
And again when your head goes through the windshield

Is that what you call tact?
You're as subtle as a brick in the small of my back
So let's end this call and end this conversation
And is that what you call a getaway?
Tell me what you got away with
Cause you left the frays from the ties you severed
When you say "best friends" means friends forever

Is that what you call a getaway?!!
Tell me what you got away with!!
Cause I've seen more spine on jellyfish!!
I've seen more guts on eleven-year-old kids!!
Have another drink and drive yourself home!!
I hope there's ice on all the roads!!
And you can think of me when you forget your seat belt
Then when your head goes through the windshield!!

(I can't let you let me down again)
Everyone's caught on to everything you do
(and I can't let you let me down again)
Everyone's caught on to
(I can't let you let me down again)
Everyone's caught on to everything you do
(and I can't let you let me down again)
Everyone's caught on to

652 Comments

General CommentThe song is nothing to do with Adam Lazarra, it's Jesse Lacey and John Nolan, who have now made up, Jesse performed No I In Team with TBS, and Straylight Run (John's new band) have both supported Brand New and covered Play Crack the Sky

Here is the explanation of what happened:

Seventy Times Seven was written about a falling out between best friends. Lead singer Jesse Lacey had been best friends with then Taking Back Sunday guitarist/singer John Nolan (who has left the band) since grade school. Lacey's girlfriend at the time cheated on him with Nolan. John called Jesse, and the last words that Jesse spoke to him were, "You're as subtle as a brick on the small of my back so lets end this call and end this conversation" and hung up. That was the last time they spoke and then years later Brand New added it as lyrics to their song "Seventy Times 7" which is about what happened and his feelings toward Nolan. Taking Back Sunday then came out with the song "There's No 'I' In Team," which expresses John's side of the story. In "There's No 'I' In Team," he says, "What I can't regret, can't you just forget it?" which shows how he wants to get past was happened between them

Song MeaningThe was written about a falling out between best friends. Lead singer Jesse Lacey had been best friends with then Taking Back Sunday guitarist/singer John Nolan (who has left the band) since grade school. Lacey's girlfriend at the time cheated on him with Nolan. John called Jesse, and the last words that Jesse spoke to him were, "You're as subtle as a brick on the small of my back so lets end this call and end this conversation" and hung up. That was the last time they spoke and then years later Brand New added it as lyrics to their song "Seventy Times 7" which is about what happened and his feelings toward Nolan. Taking Back Sunday then came out with the song "There's No 'I' In Team," which expresses John's side of the story. In "There's No 'I' In Team," he says, "What I can't regret, can't you just forget it?" which shows how he wants to get past was happened between them.

General CommentI'm not sure if this has been pointed out yet, and I don't feel like reading 26 pages of comments to see, but, in the bible, Peter asked Jesus "How many times shall I forgive the man that sinned against me? Seven?" and Jesus replied "Not seven, but seventy times seven." I'm not sure if that has anything to do with this song in particular, but it must have some meaning behind it. Maybe a girlfriend who hasn't been faithful and he feels as if he should forgive her, but maybe he has already forgiven her so many times that it would be irrelevant to forgive again.
I don't know, it could be anything, it could be nothing. Maybe just a clever name for a song?
Brand New is amazing though.

General CommentWell, I may be a little off base here, but I see something different in this song. It doesn't remind me of a friend stealing a girlfriend from the speaker or any other type of betrayal like that. To me, perhaps because of my own life experiences, it's actually falling in love with you best friend, who by every indication has the same feelings you do. And just when everything is at a blissfully happy zenith, you find out that she has feelings for another man. That she loves you with all her heart, but not "that way," even though that's how it seems.

It's like, an outlet for the frusteration felt when you care so deeply for somebody that you'd do absolutely anything for their happiness, even settle for a love less then what you feel for them. It's true, you see somebody you care about that much on so many levels with another man, and you can't even think entirely straight.

While the "kill" may not be literal, you do feel like you would do anything just to get that special person to see that nobody else is going to care about them as much as you do.

the small of your back is the lower part just above the waist i think, where it curves a bit above the butt. Getting hit there is more likely to knock you over or impede you than the rest of your back. if that helps any. i'm also guessing the back part could imply backstabbing which is what the taking back guy was doing really. so.